#how long before he’s seduced the entirety of the catholic church

[the-girl-from-another-place]

Rotating the “handsome corpse” line over and over in my brain everywhere this man goes priests fall in love w him

[draculyr-a]

   DRACULA HAS TO DIE.   A SUMMARY OF WHY THERE IS NO HAPPY ENDING.

Everyone who’s seen the (2004) movie van helsing knows that the count was given vampirism by the devil after being betrayed by the angel gabriel, who had become his best friend as a mortal man, and the catholic church who sent him to kill him despite them both working within the Holy Order of the Dragon. The Video Game and Novel however, give me a lot more to work with for fleshing out Drac’s origin backstory. Including how betrayed he felt at, upon being let out of the labyrinth in Budapest after ten long years of solitude and darkness, he was murdered by his own colleague and friend that had, to his understanding, linked him to god and heaven itself. 

He demanded not from god, but from the devil that he be restored to life in any capacity so that he could exact his revenge on those that betrayed him. Now, originally, this would have only been gabriel himself and those in power who sent him after vladislav to begin with. But at some point, this changed. Instead of focusing on just killing those, he started making more vampires than just those he wanted to keep him company. He started killing more humans than were necessary. And this was all done at a very crucial turning point in the entire canonical compendium that is dracula’s lore: 

                       The death of Lisa. 

So now we’re going to talk about a heavy, but necessary topic:   Why Dracula must die. 

When the Catholic Orthadox Church of Targoviste, Wallachia takes his wife from her home and burns her at the stake for attempting to better the lives of the citizens with true, futuristic medicine before he can get there and save her, something within him snaps. His wife, Lisa, had spent years teaching him that humanity could learn from their mistakes. And that they wouldn’t live such ‘scared, short lives’ if he would endeavor to help teach them how the world really worked. 

By the time we see him in the events of Dracula, he has become a husk of what he was. Keep in mind that in my compiled canon, Dracula takes place after Van Helsing, Castlevania and much after Tanz Der Vam.pire. With that being said however, I have changed canonical events into two possible routes in my verse arcs. Since we are discussing today why Dracula needs to die in order for his story to find a happy conclusion, and why he is in fact one of the most dangerous vampiric villains, we will not be discussing the route where he lives into modern day. 

Once Lisa was killed, we saw Dracula go into a blind rage and declare war not on the Catholic Church, which he had done previously already in Van Helsing, but instead on the entirety of humanity. He summons an army from HELL, relying on the creation of chimera by devil’s forgemasters that can exact his form of vengeance. But at what point would he be sated? Why the entire human race? Why not The Catholic Church?

The way Dracula sees his sleights is a hypocrisy. Time and time again, in various incarnations- whether as Count Dracula in the book, Vlad Dracula Tepes in Castlevania or Count Draculea in Van Helsing, he shows a propensity to not wish to harm certain humans or to otherwise bring them into the realm of vampirism themselves. Even in The Elder Scrolls, where we see him clearly characterized as Lord Harkon, he gives the gift of his own blood to the player character when he is in fact planning to take over and block out the sun, and seems to have a disdain for humans in general.  Everything that he does in the aspect of ‘humanity’ is a hypocritical mistake. He wants to kill all humans - oh, but not that one. Or not this one. Or not that one. - But at the end of his ‘war’, there will not be enough food to sate his kind, and he will thus be killing them anyway. 

But Dracula’s focus initially goes out of whack here because he’s also not just thinking about Lisa. It was started by his rage for her, but he also would be relying on his previous dealings with Humans. As in Castlevania, he has hidden himself away from the rest of his kind and from humanity so that he can live his eternity in peace. He does not trust humans, but he also has no ill-will toward them, despite already seeming to know the Belmont Clan intimately.  Even to his wives in the novel, Dracula, state that at one point he loved so dearly to humans that even they would remember. He’s also seen taking preference to those in need, giving aid and shelter to immigrants that the people of Brasov would otherwise have chased away. Dracula identifies heavily with those who have been betrayed by their own kind- because that is what he went through to become a vampire. 

He is always at a constant war with himself through boredom and hatred. And his hatred is so strong that he eventually loses the capability to look the other way. These are the same humans that killed Martha. And they are the same humans that killed Marya Zaleska. 

But he’s also missing two very important points: He kills people he loves. In Tanz, we see him bring up young women that he tried desperately to love and ended up losing control. He also speaks of a young soldier that he attempted to seduce and console that he ended up murdering in an accident. What’s more, his ‘beef’ is mainly with an archangel and not a human at all. 

In conclusion, he falls victim to his own toxic spiral of misanthropy again and again. In some incarnations after he’s been summoned back to life, he goes on to sort of just… fuck off for a while. And then something causes him to snap back into the downward spiral of his hatred for humanity to the point that he starts killing more than he ever intended when he first became the monster he is. 

Thus, this will continue until eventually all life has been eradicated and either everyone is dead (castlevania), OR, everyone is a vampire (tanz der) and there’s no one left to oppose him. And the reasoning he tells himself for this, is that if he corrupts the earth enough, God will have lost His entire creation and he will have gotten revenge that is, in his mind, equal to that which he has lost. not just for his life, but for those he thinks God took from him by the hands of His own human creations that were made in His own image.  AND IN THE END, even if everyone is a vampire. Even if they all live for ‘eternity’ at the end of Tanz? They all starve to death with no more human blood.  In the end, no one wins. 

[tidesreach]

what are your top 5 clips/scenes from s2 of skam italia? (i know it's hard to choose)

This was incredibly difficult, anon. How dare you? But l gave it a good go. This took longer to answer than I intended because I am me and thus I could not stop prattling on. Sorry? But here we are:

1. La Grotta / Martino e Niccolò

Tied first place because it is impossible to separate them. I refuse. I know I have already talked everyone to death about both of these clips but I just adore them. Every single thing about them. They are so important. La Grotta took my breath away. Both Rocco and Fede did such an incredible job at conveying the emotion of this moment. Because the thing is, Marti's issue was never entirely to do with Nico having a mental illness. Despite what happened in Milan, Marti still wanted to see Nico, to know that he was okay. Marti's struggle was predominantly with the idea that Maddalena (*side-eyes*) planted in his head that Nico's illness somehow voided their relationship and his feelings for Marti. Nico's illness never made Marti love him any less. In fact, Marti was afraid of the opposite. That Nico's illness meant that Nico didn't love him. And all of that is just so apparent in this clip. Because as soon as Marti realises that Nico is truly in love with him, not even God himself can fucking stop him from getting to that terrace. The entire scene on the terrace is utterly heart-wrenching and breathtaking. One of the most beautiful things about that moment is that Marti does not stop smiling through it all. It is the most certain and understanding and reassuring smile. He looks at Nico with so much softness and conviction. Because he knows that Nico loves him now. And that's all that really matters. Yes, it's going to be tough. But it's worth every second. He breaks through Nico's shame. He literally kisses away his tears. He soothes Nico's deepest fears. And all Nico can do is watch in silent awe that this boy really exists in front of him. That Marti's not ashamed of him or abandoning him. Like, it's so beautiful? Everything about it is just so beautiful.

Martino e Niccolò is just as beautiful. I've talked about this before so I'm not going to write an essay, but Nico's fragile vulnerability hit me like a fucking train. I can feel every single moment of his conflict and shame in this scene. Of how utterly terrified he is of Marti witnessing a depressive episode. Terrified that he's going to drag Marti down with him and that Marti will inevitably end up hating him and leaving him. And Marti handles it with such care and reassurance. So much gentle certainty. I am truly in awe of that boy. He is such a grounding presence for Nico. It was so lovely to see Nico respond the way he did. Because despite how completely horrible he feels he manages to smile. And that's a wonderful thing.

(Also I love when Marti's on the phone to Maddi and she says, "It's not true that he only wants to be with you because of his illness" etc. Because Marti's face is so funny? His expression literally says, "Yeah, cheers, but I already fucking know that now. No thanks to you." In fact, he doesn't even dignify the comment with a response. I love you, Martino.)

2. Due Ore

I will never forget the night that clip dropped (or the previous night when we were all sat waiting for it and it didn't drop, what a fucking time). I love every single second of Due Ore. The atmosphere -- the feeling -- of that scene was just incredible. It was like an exhale. You could feel it. Could feel the relief, the finally, this is where we're supposed to be, after the tumultuous push-and-pull of the last couple of weeks. You could feel the inevitability of it when they were stood there staring at each other. Nico's nervous anticipatory smile as he waited for Marti to make the first move. Marti grinning back at him in earnest. They both knew that there needed to be an actual conversation at some point. But in that moment it just wasn't necessary. It could wait. Because everything was written on their faces. This is what I want. You are what I want. We talk about fate a lot with these two -- the red string of fate! -- and I never felt it more strongly than I did in this scene. You could almost see the damn string tying them together. It was inevitable and they both knew it.

3. Patatine e Marmellata

Getting to see them wake up together was such a blessing. The way Marti was sleeping on Nico's chest, gosh. They looked so peaceful and content. It was wonderful. And their conversation -- the conversation that they inevitably had to have -- about Maddalena was important. "I want to figure out how I feel for myself." It gave us an important insight into Nico's headspace and the way the people around him treat him and his illness. When Marti directly asks him how he feels, Nico's face just lights the fuck up. It hurts my heart a little. When was the last time someone asked him that without trying to dictate the answer for him? His soft, whispered answer of "You know perfectly well. And it's never happened to me before." He knows how he feels and he can finally say it and not have it questioned. Marti's smile and his little breath of a laugh -- like he just can't contain how delighted he is that they feel the same way -- before his "Me neither". And then of course, Buon Viaggo. The way they literally cannot stop grinning at one another. Their soft kisses in between serenading each other. I mean, you could not make this up. And god, the way Marti stares up at Nico when he starts singing absolutely floors me every time. He is so in love with him he is completely incapable of keeping it off his face. Then he just straight up calls him the man of his dreams. And not forgetting the boys and their incredible dance and sing-a-long while cleaning the kitchen. How was this clip even real? What a fucking blessing.

4. Nel Mio Letto

Soft Boyfriends(tm). This is always my first go-to clip when I'm feeling particularly awful. Because there is just something so incredibly comforting about it. It's like a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea on a bitter cold winter's day. I think it's to do with the cosy softness of it all. The way they're intertwined. The sleepy cuddles and kisses. The coffee. The coffee heart. The song. It's like a wonderful bubble of contentment. Like Nico's bed is its own little safe haven. I love the whole atmosphere of it. It really does feel like they are the only two people in the world. Which ties in perfectly with their conversation about the last man on earth. (Still sad they didn't get their three days in bed though.)

5. Halloween

HALLOWEEN. Everything about this is iconic. The giraffes on the beer glasses? Marti dramatically ditching his mask in front of the Catholic church? The lighting in the pool? That shot of them underwater where they're surrounded by an endless expanse of water like they're in the ocean? Nico somehow managing to never stop fucking smiling at Marti even when trying to hold his breath underwater? I love that Skam Italia managed to make the pool scene their own. It was a world away from the OG scene (in the sense that it has a completely different feel to it) and I love that. I love that they're both essentially the same scene but evoke so many different emotions. There was this sort of giddy anticipatory feeling with Marti and Nico. Their kiss was like taking that first breath after being underwater for so long. The way they clung to each other? The way they were so in awe of each other? Like in Due Ore there was that overwhelming feeling of joy and relief. Finally.

Honorary mentions, because just five is too hard:

Tu Non Sei di Milano

It feels a little bizarre to call it a favourite clip. It would perhaps be more accurate to say that it is a clip that particularly resonated with me. I have only watched this clip in its entirety three times. The first time I was on a bus to London -- frankly I should have known better than to watch it in public -- and I almost had a panic attack while watching it. I sobbed in a public bathroom for a good twenty minutes, it was quite the day. Because I recognised so much of myself in Nico and his behaviour and I felt so much empathy for him. It hit me like a fucking train. It was the most difficult clip to watch, but it was also incredibly important. It took me a long time to rewatch it. The second and third times were difficult too. But also cathartic in a way. When you suffer from an illness like BPD, it can be incredibly isolating. You can feel like there is no one else in the world who can possibly understand what you're going through or what it feels like. Sometimes I think, "I'm ridiculous. No one else does this crazy shit. Why am I like this? Why can't I just snap the fuck out of it?" Watching that clip was validating in a lot of respects. It was difficult to watch but it also reminded me that I am not alone. That there are other people out there who experience the same struggles that I do. Who battle with episodes like this too. It was an incredibly tough watch, but it was so important.

Also, veering away from the more painful aspects of that clip: I absolutely love the way Nico seduced Marti in front of that damn neon light. Marti's soft and naive voice when he's attempting to read the "how fun". Nico's "no, no, it says Marti and Nico" and insisting Marti look again just so he can catch him by surprise in a kiss. Those achingly slow and soft kisses they exchange are probably my favourite kisses of theirs. That scene was just so intimate and beautifully done.

Vediamo

One of my favourite things about this season is the dynamic between Marti and his mother. It was so lovely to watch them heal and slowly but surely repair their relationship. Vediamo really captured the essence of that. Marti's misplaced anger towards his mother during the fallout of Milan. The brutal yelling. The way they both sit on opposite sides of the door. Marti's quiet and tearful "Are you sitting there?" His mum asking him if he thinks she would have a problem with it and then her sobbing "You are the most important thing in my life." The two of them just bloody sobbing on either side of the door. I am tearing up thinking about it. Good grief. I absolutely adore Mamma Rametta. And of course, "Vediamo" and her calling it Martinese for "No." Their tearful laughter. I love it so much. They have their ups and downs but they really do love each other unconditionally.

Effettivamente

This might just be one of my favourite coming out scenes that I have ever witnessed. Fede did such a wonderful job at conveying Marti's inner struggle. The way Marti has to fight to get the words out. The way he falters a little when he says "It's not a girl." It makes my own heart falter every single fucking time I watch it. You can see him wrestling with the words. And Gio, darling Gio. I love Giovanni Garau with a U (it's Sardinian), resident Love Wizard. He's such a wonderful friend and I just really adore the way he handles it. The way he stops playing FIFA to give Marti his full attention. That wonderful and supportive smile of his. How he asks questions about Niccolò and lets Marti get out some of the shit he's been holding onto. He really puts Marti at ease. You can see the relief seep into Marti's body when he realises that nothing is going to change between them because of this. Marti's huge smile when Gio says "He needs to leave his girlfriend" and then ruffles Marti's hair. I love supportive best friends.

And there you have it. Sorry, you asked for five and I gave you about nine. You probably didn't want a novel. But what can I say? I have a lot of love to share.